What about Sid and Nancy
by Nessaiya
Summary: So Luke and Lorelai break up. Again. Needed to do something about that. 'Partings' happened, but without the 'I-slept-with-Christopher'-stuff…
1. Prologue

**Story: **So Luke and Lorelai break up. Again. Needed to do something about that. 'Partings' happened, but without the 'I-slept-with-Christopher'-stuff…

**Author****'s note:** This story has been sitting on my harddisk and in my head for quite a while… and since I also was not that happy, how many other things ended… well, that's what fan fiction is for, right?

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything. Wish I did, though, cause in the end they really ruined the show…

**Date: **25.01.07-

* * *

What about Sid and Nancy…?

**Prologue**

She could handle her need for staying in bed all day long, just like the last time. She also had the need for cookie dough under control and had stopped picking up her phone to call him every five minutes.

She even managed the decaf and the apple cravings… and one day soon she'd manage to work up enough courage to tell him. Or Rory. Or anyone else but Sookie who had found out before she could admit it to herself…

What she hadn't thought about was that the ladder would be slippery when wet. So she only made a little sound of surprise when her foot actually slipped…


	2. That's why

**Chapter 1: That****'s why…**

He didn't even lift his head when the doorbell chimed. Why should he? It wasn't as if anyone interesting would enter his diner anytime soon. There were always the same people, dealing with his grumpy self, dealing with the worst cooking since the break up… since the last break up with…

He had the sudden urge to throw someone out of his diner…

He didn't even want to think about it. This one was final.

It wasn't until his guest stopped in front of the counter, looking at him patiently that he looked up. The black leather jacket was familiar. So was the thick black hair, dangling into the eyes of the young man.

"Could you just stop trying to give me the money back?"

Luke looked back down to what he had been doing before. Since his action only consisted of tearing a napkin into small little stripes Jess glanced at him confused.

" Did you hear what I said, uncle Luke?"

"Yeah. I said you didn't have to pay it back."

His nephew put his bag that was hanging from his shoulder down on the floor and watched him ripping the white tissue into small pieces.

"And I said that I wanted to pay it back. I owe you!"

"You owe me nothing!" he burst out while jumping up from his chair. Kirk on the table in the corner got scared and left, taking the coffee-cup with him.

He had scared away most of the others only by his behaviour. Which wasn't a surprise. They had experienced his mood back then. It didn't take a genius to find out that it was worse this time. Maybe he should keep his promise he gave back then. To leave the town and not be in her way…

Jess just stood there, looking at him.

"Maybe I should just give it to Lorelai. You know, she's way smarter in those things than you are."

Judging from the face his uncle made he had just said something wrong. Preparing himself for some sort of assault Jess stepped back a little.

All Luke was doing was sitting down again.

"We broke up."

"What?"

Luke looked at the younger man as if he had lost his mind.

"I said we broke up."

"WHAT?"

"You heard me, Jess. I'm not saying it again."

"How the hell did you manage to screw up this time?" Sitting down on a barstool, Jess took of his jacket and dropped it onto the chair next to him.

"Who says I'm the screw up?"

"Believe me, with the Gilmores it's always us that screw up. I'm talking out of experience", Jess sighed.

"Last thing I heard was that you wanted to marry in a few days."

"Last thing I heard was that she wasn't sure about us anymore", Luke countered staring at his hands.

"And that's why?"

"That's why…"

"Luke! I can't find the salt!" a tiny voice came out of the storeroom soon followed by a smiling head that looked around the corner. April recognized her cousin and waved at him.

"Hi Jess! How are you?"

"Hi. Fine."

"You're still monosyllabic…"

"Won't change anytime soon." He still didn't know what to think about her.

"Still creeps me out…"

In the meantime Luke had gotten up from his place and headed over to his daughter handing her a box from the top shelf.

"Here you go."

April got back to her task of refilling the salt and Jess gave his uncle a really confused look.

"That's why?"

Luke sighed and sat down heavily.

"That's why. Her mother had to go and buy some stuff for her shop so she's stuck with me for some days."

"You drove Lorelai away because of your kid?" He still didn't get it. Though he and Lorelai didn't get along quite well he had to admit that she was the best mother he had ever met. Which didn't mean very much knowing the mother he'd had. But to April it should have been an adventure knowing Lorelai Gilmore. She sometimes even behaved like a 13-year old.

"Well, it's a little more complicated", Luke sighed and clamped his hands around her favourite coffeecup.

"I wanted to get used to this situation and then tell her. And then suddenly I let her postpone the wedding, and I tell her that she can't meet April and that…"

"You told her she couldn't meet your daughter? Are you nuts? Luke, this is weird, even for you."  
" I know. I know now. Got a timemachine?" he asked with a fake smile on his face and Jess grimaced.

"Sometimes wish I had one."

"I know, son."

"How long, Luke?"

"Little over two months… still feels like it was yesterday…"

The worst mistake he'd ever made.

The doorbell chimed again. Luke this time looked up asuming it was Kirk who wanted to return the coffeecup. Seing a crying, rambling Sookie standing there shocked both of the men enough to get up and go to her. She told them something about a ladder and the rain last night at highspeed-top volume pared with her wide gestures. Luke soon had enough since he couldn't really understand anything, so he stopped her.

"Sookie, breathe!"

"I mean, what if anything serious happened to her? I can't manage the inn all alone, and I would be all alone 'cause Michel's no help at all. He's good at answering the phone, but…"

"For Pete's sake Sookie, tell me what happened!" Luke said a little louder than he had wanted. At least that shut her up. Wideeyed she looked at both of them.

"Okay. And now please the slow and sorted version, Sookie", he asked her in a gentle tone that made her tears reappear.

"You know the lightbulb on the veranda of the Dragonfly that's always broken?"

Luke nodded. In the last few years he'd had to change it frequently.

"Well, it was broken again, and Lorelai wanted to change it herself."

"She's afraid of the spider that's living up there", the owner of Luke's diner stated and Jess couldn't stop himself from smirking at that comment.

"It moved… or it died… I don't know. What I know is that she took the ladder and that it was wet, and that… and that…" With her tears running down her cheeks again Sookie tried desperately to speak.

"That what?" Luke was going to lose his last bit of patience. Not that he had ever had much of it.

"She slipped. She fell off that ladder and banged her head on the banister. When the ambulance arrived she was still drifting in and out of counciousness…", Sookie cried reaching out for the ex-fiancee of her best friend.

Luke gathered her into his arms and looked helplessly at his nephew.

"She's gonna be okay, Sookie", was all he said, getting a weird look from the chef of the Dragonfly Inn. After releasing her he took his baseball-cap off his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I… where… where did they take her?" he finally asked.

"They brought her to the hospital in Woodbridge. Can't you… you know, get there? Handle things? I really suck at things like that. Every second another thought pops up in my head, and the next second I've forgotten it… I…", her voice caught and she looked at him pleadingly.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sookie", he answered while observing his shaking hand that held his cap.

"She would't want me there…"

"Geez, Luke, as if that's what matters now!" his nephew growled behind him, startling both Sookie and Luke. He had put his jacket back on and his car keys already in his hands.

"I'll drive, 'cause both of you would just end up in the hospital next to Lorelai by now. And if you still refuse to go, I'll take the baseball bat you have under the counter, and…", he treatened but was cut of by his uncle.

"What about April?"

Jess shook his head and turned around.

"April?"

Her head with the dark curly hair once again appeared at the storeroom door.

"Yes?"

"We have to go to Woodbridge. Go, grab your stuff, will you?" the young man asked receiving another confused look.

"Okay. Will you tell me what happened?"

Her father closed his eyes and sighed.

"Stop using her as an excuse!" his nephew hissed and walked out the door.


	3. There's no such thing

**Chapter 2: There****'s no such thing…**

"I hate hospitals!"

Luke stopped in front of the building and almost got run over by his nephew.

"I knew I should've taken that baseball bat with me", Jess growled and stared at him.

April on the other hand grabbed the hand of her father and dragged him along with her.

"Don't you want to know if Lorelai's fine?" she asked him while they were heading towards the room they were told she was laying in.

"Of course I want to know if she's fine. It's just… me and hospitals, that just doesn't work", he explained and squeezed her hand.

"We're there." Sookie pointed at a door. In front of it two nurses just were arguing.

"Maybe it's just a joke!" one of them was just saying.

"Who would put himself as an emergency contact! That's nuts!"

"Don't know. But I'm sure there's no such thing as another Lorelai Gilmore. And the phone isn't answered. Guess why? 'Cause the owner's in there!"

"Actually there is", Luke spoke up and startled the two women.

"What?" one of them snapped.

"There's another Lorelai Gilmore. Her daughter…", he explained and caused the nurses to look worriedly at him as he turned pale.

"Luke?"

"They haven't told Rory yet!" was all the older man said to Jess and started to turn around, dragging April with him.

"You know, Luke, that arm is attached to my body", the girl teased him while Jess blocked his way.

"What's now?"

"You go, check on Lorelai, and I'll deal with Rory."

"And you are?" one of the nurses wanted to know.

"He's her fiancee", Jess stated before Luke had the chance to say anything.

"Then we'll get you the doctor to explain everything."

He also had no other chance than leaving his girl with Sookie who promised to take care of her and following the two women. At least he would know that she was fine.

While Jess was on his way to New Haven.

The doc looked at him as every doctor had looked at him ever before. Slightly distracted… well, okay, with his mind totally somewhere else.

"Dr. Cruise, this is Luke Danes. The fiancee of Lorelai Gilmore", the nurse introduced him to the man who just made a face as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"The head injury", the nurse added.

"Ah, yes… have a seat, Mr. Danes", the greyhaired man offered with a polite smile and fumbled with some papers.

"So… how bad is it?" Luke asked.

"Well… she's got herself some bruised rips and a broken arm from the fall. Not to forget the concussion and a cut on her cheek we had to stich up… but otherwise everything's fine. The baby's also okay."

"That's good… that's…", suddenly Luke's eyes narrowed.

"The baby? What baby?"

The doctor shoved his glasses up on his nose.

"So… you didn't know she is pregnant?"

"Would explain my reaction, wouldn't it?" Boy, he had been hanging out to long around Lorelai. Before he knew her he just would've answered: "Noooo…"

The doctor looked at him patiently.

"I'm sorry that you found out this way. I'm sure you want to see her now. She's sleeping but I think she wouldn't mind…"

Luke just looked right through the man and followed him on autopilot.

Wasn't it better for her to stay away from such an awful man like he was?


	4. Tom Cruise said

**Chapter 3: Tom Cruise said you****'ll be ok**

The cut on her cheek looked nasty. And she was so pale. He carried a chair next to her bed and sat down, taking her hand automatically into his. He sighed and watched her breathe.

"Doc said you're gonna be okay. You know that you're the only woman I know who bangs her head and then gets a doctor named Thomas Cruise. That's some new anecdote you can tell…"

He sighed again staring at her motionless form on the bed.

"He also said the baby was fine…"

She still didn't move. There was only the steady beeping from the monitor behind her.

"You hear? Everything's gonna be okay. And I mean everything. When you're awake and don't have a headache as big as the swab of cotton wool I've got stuffed in my head right now, then we're talking about everything…"

He placed a small kiss on the back of her hand.

"I don't want it to end like this… hell, I never did want it to end at all! I promise we'll work this out."

Maybe it was better if he didn't act on his promise back then…


	5. Pictures in my head

**Chapter 4: Pictures in my head**

Seeing her freak out was something Jess couldn't picture. Until now. She was running around in this stunning apartment at least twice the size of everything he had lived in till now. Currently she was searching for her car keys. At least he thought so.

"I can't find the shirt!" she exclaimed and got herself a look that told her she was in desperate need of a shrink.

"Rory, you are dressed. And you also can stop looking for your keys 'cause no way in hell I'm gonna let you drive right now."

Rory disappeared in the bathroom.

"I know that I'm dressed, thank you. I borrowed her favourite 'Hello Kitty' shirt, and now I can't find it…" Reappearing she began searching under the cushions of the couch.

"Ha! Found it!" she exclaimed and held a wrinkled yellow fabric in her hand.

"So, can we go now, please? I can handle you, but I can't handle Luke freaking out in the hospital. He's way stronger than me and could easily kill me!"

"Luke's with her in the hospital?" Rory asked irritated.

"Yep." Jess opened the door of the apartment for her and led her out to his car.

"Voluntarily?" she wanted to know while she got into the car and waited for him to get in as well.

"I threatened him with the baseball bat under the counter." Jess answered and started his car.

"Luke's at the hospital." She sounded both surprised and happy about that.

"What the hell did happen between the two of them? First time I saw them together I could tell Luke was in love with her. What happened?"

"April happened", Rory growled.

"You can't blame the kid for Luke's not being able to keep his pants on back then", Jess said silently and stared at the road.

"Yuk! Do you know what picture you just planted into my head?" Rory frowned. Jess widened his eyes.

"God, did you have to say this? I'm not going to think about Luke without… jeez!"

They both laughed nervously.

"This is really like thinking about your parents having sex…" Rory smiled.

"Could you stop this right now, please?"

"No, I mean… it's Mom and Luke… like in Luke being my parent… Does this make any sense?"

"Well, we're speaking of the man who made you mashed potatoes when you had the chicken pox, and bake a cake on each of your birthdays, who cried at your graduation ceremony at Chilton…" Jess smiled at the thought of that.

"How do you know about that?"

"I have my sources. I just wanted to say that except for the genes Luke very well matches the picture of your father" Jess explained.

"And after April appeared all went straight to hell."

"Ror, please."

"I know, I can't blame her. She did nothing wrong. But her appearance made Luke go crazy and he hurt Mom with what he did, and then she hurt him, and… And I can't stand it when she's hurt. When they broke up the first time, and I had her settled, I went back to Yale. And there I don't find myself studying or thinking 'She's gonna be fine', no, I found myself crying in Paris' arms, 'cause Mommy and Daddy separated. And yelling at my Grandmother, because she was the reason for the break up."

She kept getting faster with every word she said, something he recognized both of the Gilmores do when they were outraged.

"What is this with you and your mother? When my mom had this car crash back then I phoned her, she told me she broke her arm and her ankle. Luke was there to help her, fine. You move heaven and hell, to comfort her when Luke goes nuts. Or to find a 'Hello Kitty' Shirt." He watched her leaning back in the seat and taking a deep breath.

"Mom left my grandparents with me when she was 17. She never told me why, just that she'd had a fight with them. Back then I didn't know why she would do that. They had a big house and lots of money and stuff. We lived in the Independence Inn, and she had to work so hard. And then we moved into the potting shed, and afterwards into our house, and we both decorated it, and I went to kindergarten and school, and suddenly being at my grandparents wasn't that interesting anymore…"

"Wait a minute. Your mother ran away with you when she was 17?" He'd been together with her for a couple of months. Why didn't he know that? On second thought… he would have run away from Richard and Emily Gilmore, too…

"Yes. Lately I began to think that they argued about my custody, with my grandparents wanting to turn me into something they couldn't turn her into. I overheard them fighting once when I was small, on Christmas for Pete's sake. And I knew she always would be fighting for me, but she would also give me the space to make my own mistakes. Grandma just kept saying that Mom didn't know what she was doing… she still does. I know how Mom feels when Grandma gets like this… and still she only wants me to see the good sides of my grandparents. Never tells me how they treated her…" She was still on Gilmore-top speed and had to stop her rant to breathe. Jess smiled.

"You know, I still hear your mother scream 'Hey, ducks!', when she bought that animal-voice alarm clock. She didn't have much of a childhood, eh?"

"Don't really know. I told you she wouldn't tell me. And you should've heard her when the pigs oinked", Rory smiled back. Then suddenly she looked at him seriously.

"You haven't told me yet, why you are here."

"I gave Luke a check to cover everything when I lived with him. He tried to give the money back for the third time now. I figured that if I gave it to your mother he'd finally keep it. I didn't know that they were separated."

"Well… I'm happy you're here. I really don't think I would've been able to drive to the hospital. God, I hope everything's okay…"

Jess took her hand in his.

"We're talking about the woman who lived 17 years with Richard and Emily Gilmore…"

"Yeah, right. But her obvious heroism didn't save her from falling off a ladder…"


	6. Where's the earthquake coming from?

_Hi everybody!_

_Thanks for the kind reviews!_

_As for typos: You know the deal: the more you read over them, the less you see them ;)_

_Have fun!_

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**Chapter 5: Where****'s the earthquake coming from?**

"Why don't I ever have a camera when I need one", Jess whispered when he opened the door to Lorelai's room in the hospital. Luke's head lay next to Lorelai's shoulder, his right hand entwined with her uninjured left one, his left sprawled out on her stomach.

Next to him Rory's camera in her cell phone clicked.

"This is so sweet", she sighed.

"Wish that Mommy and Daddy reconcile? " he teased her and eventually got her to smile.

"Yes, and then I get to have a doggy and a bunny and a pony… forget the pony, I'm afraid of horses…"

"I told you this pony was old and just did lay down because it was tired…", a drowsy voice came from the bed. Rory practically ran to her mother's side.

"Mom! You're awake! And by the way, the pony died and they dragged it away on its feet!"

"Shush, kid, please not that loud. Mommy's got a headache…" Lorelai looked around in her room.

"Sooo… this is what you get when you fall off a ladder. What are you doing here, Jess?"

"Well, actually I stopped by to give Luke the money I owed him. Then I ended up offering my services as chauffeur to both him and your daughter who couldn't hear her cell phone", Jess smiled and was surprised to see the woman smile back at him.

"This is probably the longest sentence I've ever heard from you."

Luke shifted his hand on her stomach and this sensation made her jump. Which woke him up.

"Everything okay?" he asked her tiredly not moving anything. She just stared at his hand on her belly.

"I… I…" Why were her eyes glued to his hand?"

"I… Oh my god. They told you!"

Luke nodded and raised himself to a more comfortable position.

And then she really freaked out.

"I wanted to tell you. I just chickened out the last 100 times. I mean, we weren't speaking, which isn't a surprise since we broke up… I really would've told you, you believe me? Oh my god… did anything happen? Please… please…"

Damn tears. Why did they have to come right now? Jess and Rory just looked at her really confused while Luke just took her into his arms and kissed her forehead. Which caused the two other people in the room to look at each other really surprised.

"Lorelai, everything's fine. Everything. I just hope we can get it right once more. Without your mother screaming at me if that's possible", he tried to calm her.

"You want me back? You know, I'm kind of damaged good…", she teased under her tears and made him smile.

"Since I damaged it it's only kind of fair I'm taking it back, isn't it?"

"I was talking 'bout the arm and the rips and my hurting head..:"

"Me not. I was such an idiot… I shouldn't have let you out of my sight once I finally got you. And then a little problem arises and I behave like a complete asshole…"

She snuggled her head against his shoulder.

"Stop talking in such a disrespectful way about the father of my child…"

Luke just smiled. Jess just stared at them. Rory seemed confused, then her eyes grew wide and a smile split her face.

"Oh my god!"

Then she started to jump around with a look on her face Luke had seen the last time when Kirk announced that Pippi Longstocking would be the movie he was showing.

"Sid and Nancy!" Rory exclaimed.

"I don't get it", was all Jess said before Rory grabbed his hands and made him jump with her.

"Sid and Nancy", the younger Gilmore screamed once more and looked at him as if he should know what she meant by it.

"Kiddo, I really got a headache here. And I think the people in the room beyond us wonder where the earthquake's coming from", Lorelai moaned, happy about the reaction of her daughter but too exhausted to keep up with it. Rory immediately stopped and let go of Jess' hands.

"I still don't get that Sid and Nancy thing", Jess mumbled, while Rory went to her mother.

"Oh, Mom, I'm so happy! For both of you! You want something? Maybe an apple?" she grinned. Then her smile faded.

"I mean, this time it's for real, isn't it. Not just: I want an apple after I didn't want one the last 20 years…?"

"What does 'this time' mean?" Luke wanted to know looking at Lorelai.

"Well… you remember that celebration, for the Inn being one of the best in Connecticut… the limo and how we didn't make it to the buffet, just to the bar?"

Jess and Rory shared an eew-look.

Luke still looked at her until it dawned to him.

"Yes. Oh… yeah."

"Two days later I really had a craving for apples. And since the only time I really wanted apples was when I was pregnant with Rory, I thought… well, it was false alarm, so…"

"So this whole Sid and Nancy and talking 'bout apples means you're pregnant?" Jess asked just causing all heads to turn towards him.

"Boy, that took long", Rory grinned at her mother.

"Don't blame him, he's a man… and a Danes."

He surprised them by smiling at that comment.

"Congratulations…"

Lorelai smiled back at him.

"Thank you. Some more cousins for you… by the way: Luke, where's April? Wasn't she staying with you…?"

"How do you know… no, let me guess: Babette? Miss Patty?" Luke asked.

"Where's the girl? You didn't leave her alone?"

"Of course not. She's with Sookie."

At that Lorelai closed her eyes.

"Oh Luke… Anna didn't like April being with me… what would she say 'bout Sookie?"

"I don't care. I trust Sookie. And if she doesn't like it, well then it's her problem. So, who told you?"

"Actually it was Kirk. He asked me if he can buy the Twickham-house, now, that our 'affaire' was over… Why would he ask me if he could buy the Twickham house?"

"I'll kill Kirk…", Luke growled.

"Because he told me about April?" There was this tiny, shy voice again that she always used when she was insecure. When he closed her out. Luke shook his head and kissed her forehead again.

"It's something between Kirk and me and hasn't anything to do with you or April. I almost threw him out of the diner this morning… I don't know why, but he seems to like my food."

"I like your food, too", Lorelai said a little confused.

"Believe me, you would't now…"


	7. Big sisters

**Chapter 6: Big sisters**

Jess grabbed Rory's hand and pulled her out of the room.

"Come on, I'll buy you some coffee, and you can fill me in about this Sid and Nancy thing and why Lorelai wouldn't like Luke's cooking…"

The young woman smiled at him.

"You had me at 'I'll buy you coffee'", she sang and began to dance in the corridor. Jess stood there, hands on his hips, shaking his head.

"You really seem happy about this."

"Of course I'm happy! I mean, it took some time but I think now they finally got it together …"

He smiled.

"Mommy and Daddy reconciled."

"Mommy and Daddy reconciled… and I get a little sister or brother out of the deal. That's better than a pony." She stopped dancing and began walking down the corridor towards the elevator. Jess followed her.

"I'll be a big sister… how does that feel?" she asked pressing the button.

"How should I know? I've never been a big sister", he grinned.

"But you're going to be a big brother…" Seeing his face fall she stopped talking.

"Please tell me Liz told you about the baby…"

"I haven't talked to Liz for… oh, once she phoned me, but kept complaining about TJ. I thought she was going to throw him out…"

They got into the elevator heading for the cafeteria.

"She did. Luke wanted to beat him up because he left his pregnant wife only to play matchmaker afterwards to get them together again. I'm sorry I told you… maybe your mom…"

"Liz being Liz I would have found out when the kid was starting school."

"But…"

"No, it's okay. I've never been a big part of her life. I just hope she does better with the new kid…"

"She didn't screw up everthing with you", Rory smiled and hooked her arm on his as the doors of the elevator opened.

"Sooo… I remember someone here wanted to buy me coffee…"


	8. Tayloring Emily

**Chapter 7: The Tayloring of Emily Gilmore**

"Tell me again, why are we here?" Lorelai wanted to know while reajusting her right arm in the sling she had to wear.

"You promised your mother you would come to Friday night dinner… you know she freaked out once Rory told her accidentially you've been in hospital… three days after they released you", Luke answered, also staring at the big wooden door of the Gilmore residance. He so did not want to go inside. On the other hand he didn't want the woman he loved and that carried his baby to be alone with these people. Both of them still had difficulties about being together again, not having gone over the kissing-stage in their newly started relationship, and this meeting with her parents could very well ruin everything…

"Wait how she will freak once I tell her the big news", Lorelai sighed and reluctantly rang the doorbell.

"Maybe she'll be happy for us?"

"You've met my mother, haven't you?"

"I have. And I always keep telling myself she can't be that bad."

They could hear footsteps behind the door.

"If she starts to shout, could you Taylor her?"

"What?"

"You know, when you're arguing with Taylor… you get loud, and everybody who doesn't know you two are doing this frequently is going to think you will kill him…"

"I'm not going to Taylor your mother"

"Coward", Lorelai hissed as the maid opened the front door. Thank god Rory would be coming too…

"Hello, we're selling cookies for…", Lorelai started but was cut off by her mother approaching the door.

"For Heaven's sake come in, Lorelai…"

Emily stopped at the door looking outside and her face hardened.

"Luke. What are you doing here? After all that has happened…"

"Mom. Luke and I are back together. Can we come in or are you going to let us stay out here all night long?" Lorelai burst out, taking Luke's hand into hers.

"Well then… come in." Emily led the way to the living room where Richard was already seated.

"Hello Lorelai, how…? Luke?"

"Nice to meet you again, Mr. Gilmore", Luke said while Richard rose from the sofa.

"It's still Richard, Luke." They shook hands.

"Okay."

"Lorelai and Luke reconciled, Richard", Emily announced.

"I can see that", Richard answered looking at the entwined hands of his daughter and her diner-man.

"Would you like a beer, Luke?" he asked the man he by now had gotten used to think of as his son in law. Seeing Luke nod Richard headed out of the living room.

As soon as he was away Emily watched her daughter sitting down carefully on the couch.

"Tell me what this means."

"What what means, mom?"

"Please. First this crying, 'The wedding's not going to happen', the break up and now: Happily ever after. I really would like to know what is going on in your mind."

Lorelai looked at her lap trying to think of a way to answer her mother and make clear that this was not an act to upset her. Luke squeezed her hand and began to stare Emily down.

"Lorelai and I are back together. We're sorting things out and this time, I promise we won't screw up", he said looking back into the stunning blue eyes of his woman. She began to smile.

Richard reappeared, two bottles of beer in his hands.

"Richard, I think one would have been enough."

"Actually I thought I might have one myself. Luke seems to enjoy this beverage so I might give it a try…", Richard said and handed one of the bottles to Luke. They klicked their bottles and took a sip. Emily still stared unbelievingly at her husband - drinking out of a bottle!

"Richard!"

"You know what? I like it", Richard Gilmore grinned while sitting opposite to his daughter and her boyfriend, making his daughter smile even wider. Emily just sighed and turned to Lorelai.

"What do you want to drink, Lorelai?"

"I'd like to have water."

"What?"

"You can also make it a coke…"

"Is this some kind of bad joke, Lorelai?"

"No mother, I would like to have a water or a coke if that is possible", Lorelai said in her most polite voice.

"Well, then you will get water", her mother said, this time it being her disappearing in the kitchen.

Richard looked at both of them suspiciously.

"Is there something you want to tell us, Lorelai?" he asked and noticed Luke giving her hand another squeeze.

"We want to wait until Rory is here, dad."

"Oh… I think she called us she wouldn't make it today. Emily mentioned something…"

"Rory isn't coming?" Lorelai gave Luke a desperate look.

"Well, apparently Logan Huntzberger has to go back to London tomorrow, so she called and cancelled our dinner. Those two are such a lovely couple", Emily explained reappearing from the kitchen and handing Lorelai her water.

"Thank you, mom."

Emily poured herself a martini and sat down next to her husband. An awful silence fell over the room. Finally it was Richard who put down his beer and looked at the couple.

"Are you engaged again?"

"No…" Lorelai answered in her small voice.

"Not yet", Luke answered in a tone that made sure he definitly had the intention to change that.

"What else for Heaven's sake could be important enough to put up such an act?" Emily exclaimed and got herself a warning look of her husband. This time it was Lorelai who stared at her.

"I am pregnant, mother. You two are going to have a new grandchild in a little over 6 months."

She could see that her father began to smile.

"This is wonderful…"

Emily cut him off, her face hard once again.

"So you got yourself knocked up once again. This is so you, Lorelai. Making the same mistake twice!"

"Emily!" Richard warned.

"Oh please, Richard, can't you see? This pregnancy wasn't planned. I bet he just got back to her because of the baby."

Lorelai and Luke just stared at her stunned. Richard got up from the couch.

"You better stop it now, Emily!"

"Oh, I've just started", his wife shouted, turning to her daughter again.

"When are you going to grow up and realize that your actions have consequences, Lorelai? You were careless and irresponsible back then and you haven't changed a bit. Pregnant out of wedlock, and you don't even know if this get together with diner-man will last."

"Emily!" Richard tried to stop her again seeing the tears that started to water his daughter's eyes. Luke had seen them too. And decided he had to do something.

Emily jumped as Luke got up from the sofa and approached her. His jaw was set and she almost could feel the muscles under his suit when he moved towards her invading her personal space.

"You better shut the fuck up now!" he growled.

"Who do you think you are to…"

"I am the man who loves your daughter more than his live. The daughter who just told you one of the most wonderful things in the world. I always told her to give you a chance, you can't be that bad. I know she exaggerates most things but with you she was right", he shouted at his best I-kill-you-Taylor-voice.

"Get out of my…"

"I'm not done yet! Do you even care that she's your only child? I can't believe you're still dragging out this old she-got-pregnant-at-16 story. She raised one of the most amazing persons I know, built herself a life without your fucking help. Would you want to miss Rory one day? Will you always hold that grudge over her head? She's not 16 anymore! Are you so fucking bored that you have nothing else to do than go on the nerves of other people? I'm fed up with it. I'm fed up with being insulted by you, with hearing you disapprove Lorelai's actions. You are a horrible woman, Emily Gilmore! And if I have anything to say in it then you're never going to meet any of my children again. Neither Rory, nor April or Sid and Nancy! So you don't have to suffer because of our mistakes!"

Emily by now just stared at him and got up from the couch.

"I'm going to bed", was all she said, then she left the room.

"I need some air. I'll wait outside in the car. See you, Richard", Luke annouced, breathing heavily and also went outside.

Richard sat down next to his daughter, and for the first time, at least for the first time that she could tell gathered her into an embrace and let her cry.

"Shh. Everything is going to be fine, Lorelai", he tried to calm her and caressed her hair.

"I knew she would react like this. I came anyway. Again", she sobbed.

"And I dragged Luke into this… again… and… god, I'm starving…"

This made both of them laugh.

"You should go outside to Luke…"

"His cooking sucks when he's angry… and I think he really needs to calm down. Can I have dinner with you?"

This surprised Richard.

"You want to have dinner with me?"

"Well, I came here for dinner, and I assume everything is ready since the maid is standing behind us really shocked."

When Richard turned around he could see no maid and realized that Lorelai had made a joke.

"I like your humor."

He eased himself up from the sofa and extended his hand to help her up.

"So I assume it's the two of us for dinner", he smiled. Lorelai nodded and followed him into the dining room where the maid was serving, sitting down next to him.

"You may have to cut my food", she said indicating her broken arm. He laughed once again.

They ate in silence for a while until Richard spoke up again.

"About the baby… I think this is wonderful! Luke will make an awsome father. And if you need anything, then let me know!"

"Thank you, dad… you need to meet April. She's such a nice and smart girl. Judging from how smart both Rory and April are there's a little Nobel-prize winner swimming in my belly."

"Once I've talked to your mother…"

"Stop it, dad. She won't change her mind. I'll always be the 16 year old screw up for her. And I have no intention of making a step towards her. This time she has to come to me. Can we talk about something else?"

"Of course… So what could we talk about… Where did all the anvils go to?" Richard smiled and Lorelai could see that she did get some of her humor from him.

"I still haven't found out. Maybe there's really one big storeroom with tons of anvils… or Whiley Coyote damaged them all by throwing them at the Roadrunner…"

"I need to see this cartoon. Can I ask you one more question about the baby?"

"Sure. I just don't want to talk about mom."

"Why did Luke say Sid and Nancy?"


	9. Bump

**Chapter 8: Bump**

Luke didn't open his eyes or move in his seat when the door of his truck opened.

"You let me wait out here for over an hour", was all he said.

When a pair of warm lips touched his mouth he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"You Taylored mom", was all she said before snuggling to his side.

"She had it coming. And I have to tell you… well…"

"You're still scared to death by her."

"Who wouldn't be?"

"Arnold Schwarzenegger… if he really had the steel-skeleton and his pumpgun…"

He smiled at that and started his car.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Do you think this is a good idea? It's only been two weeks…"

"I'm fed up with sleeping alone. I want you to go to bed with me, to fall asleep with your hand on the bump who's going to be our baby…"

"When did it go from Sid and Nancy to bump?"

"My father convinced me that we need to find out first if it's going go be Sid and Nancy, or Sid or Nancy… And bump sounds sweet…"

"So I'm going to stay with you and bump…"

"I still have to thank you for Tayloring mom."

He shot her a macho-look.

"Dirty, Miss Gilmore…"

"Hey, that's my bit!"

Heading towards Stars Hollow Luke stared out the front window of his truck, his hand on Lorelai's thigh.

"You know, I've been doing the maths…"

"What maths?" she asked

"Asuming that bump was conceived when I think he or she or them was…" Luke started.

"Well… you very well know what happened at our little private party after April's birthday party", she said with a sad smile on her face. In the few hours they had been together this very special day she had thought they were back on the right track.

And then Anna had happened…

"I just thought… that would make it the end of january…"

"What's your point, Luke?"

"There will be snow when bump is born…"

She smiled at that. Snow was good. Snow was her friend (except for the disaster when her Jeep was snowed in, her foot half frozen and the inn lost guests… because of the snow as well as in the snow). Luke had made snow and winter her friend again that day…

Snow was perfect. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You very easily switched from Sid and Nancy to bump…"


	10. Déjà vu

**Chapter 9: D****éjà vu**

She was looking at him when he opened his eyes in the morning.

"I want bump to have your eyes", she said smiling at him and snuggled back against his shoulder.

"They would be blue anyhow, if bump got them from you or from me."

"I know. But Rory has my eyes. I want our child to have yours…"

He said nothing, just watched her hand stroking through the hair on his chest.

"Lorelai."

When she lifted her head he looked at her sincerely.

"Marry me."

"Luke… you don't have to do this. All that mom said yesterday about knocking me up and so on… well, practically you knocked me up, but…"

"Lorelai", he cut her off. She looked at him not sure what he was going to say now.

"Marry me", he repeated.

"Okay…" she answered.

"Good answer", he smiled before kissing her. She broke the kiss after a few seconds.

"When?"

"As soon as possible? I don't want to wait any longer." They had waited too long anyhow.

"My dress doesn't fit anymore." After she had said that she began to giggle.

"What?"

"It's kind of a déjà vu… have I told you how my mother found out…", her voice caught at the thought of the fight the day before.

"We can wait until the baby is born", he suggested, pulling her closer to him. She liked her dress. She'd said it was perfect and he thought the same.

"Plus two months for me to lose all the fat. I don't want to wait, Luke…"

"Me neither… maybe you can get a new one… and I'm not wearing a tux!"

At that she laughed once again and kissed him.

They didn't hear the front door open. Neither did they hear the silent tap of feet on the stairs or the louder "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…!" Rory was repeating when she went upstairs to the bedroom of her mother. She bolted through the door with a really heartfelt "I'm soooo sorry, mom!", causing Luke and Lorelai to jump out of each other's arms and look a her.

Rory just stared at them openmouthed. Then she turned around.

"I… I'll be waiting downstairs. Good morning…


	11. Does Sean Connery sing?

**Chapter 10: Does Sean Connery sing?**

Lorelai found her daughter in the kitchen sitting at the table, the unevitable newspaper in hands, coffee dripping in the coffee-maker, pop tarts in the toaster, Paul Anka on her feet. Stretching her sweatpants that said 'Juicy' on her backside a little to give bump more space she leaned against the doorframe.

"What are you sorry 'bout?" she asked and shocked Rory out of her concentration.

"Oh… mom. Hi! I wanted to say I was sorry that I had to cancel dinner yesterday. Mitchum practically dragged Logan back to London… so… how was it?"

Lorelai closed her eyes on the thought of the dinner.

"Oh… that good? I'm really sorry, mom."

Her mother took a seat next to her.

"You being there wouldn't have changed anything. Especially not Adolf's telling me over and over what a screw up I am."

"She really told you that?" Rory looked at her mother unbelievingly while petting the dog and ignoring the nickname her mother had given her grandmother long time ago.

"Oh yeah… and you missed something…"

"What? Emily kicking a dog and later hitting her maid?"

"No…"  
Lorelai made a pause.

"Luke Taylored mom."

"No way!"

"Oh yes!" Her mother lowered her voice wanting to make it sound as deep as Luke's.

"Shut the fuck up you crazy woman! I love Lorelai and you are horrible and so bored you've nothing else to do than going on the nerves of other people. You are not going to meet any of my children again! Neither Rory nor April or Sid and Nancy!"

"He said _my_ children and then my name?" Rory had to admit she was flattered.

"I was too excited about the whole yelling at Emily thing… but yes, I think he did. I always told you I should tape Friday night dinners!"

"He really said fuck when grandma was there?"

"Three times. It was really dramatic. My mother went to bed, Luke went outside to cool off and I had the first dinner alone with my father that I enjoyed. I think Andrew Lloyd Webber's going to make a musical out of it. Steven Spielberg already called. Sean Connery will play my father."

"Grandpa would like that! Does Sean Connery sing?" Rory grinned.

"I don't know. I was just thinking about how to convince Viggo Mortensen to play Luke."

"Do you still have that crush on Aragorn?"

"No, I have my own hero now. I just think that he would look cute with the backwards baseball cap."

"Aragorn, mom!" Rory said shocked.

"Hey, Luke Taylored Emily Gilmore!"

"Does this mean I get to be your hero from now on?" a familiar voice came from the doorframe. Luke, not having anything of his stuff over yet appeared barefooted in his trousers and the shirt from the day before.

"She's planning on a musical and a blockbuster" Rory informed him.

"Tarentino?" he asked beginning to take the pop tarts out of the toaster and looking at them disgusted.

"Spielberg", Lorelai answered and watched him. Then she suddenly turned pale.

"This is what I hate about pregnancy", she moaned while runnig out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards the bathroom.

"Should I go after her?" Luke asked and put a cup with coffee down on the table in front of Rory.

"Wait a couple of minutes." Taking a sip she watched him sit down.

"Rory… about before…"

"No, Luke, it's fine. I finally know how it feels to walk in on your parents when they're… you know…"

"Never want to do it again?"

"Never ever. No offence…"

"None taken."

They fell silent for some minutes, Luke just watching Paul Anka that had started to lick his toes.

"It's really okay, Luke. I like the thought of you and mom being together. Well, not _being_ together, but…"

"I know, Rory. You just made me think of a very well stored away childhood experience I had in this field…"

"What? Oh… yikes!"

"Exactly."


	12. Dreams 1

_Hi everybody!_

_Thanks for all reviews, alerts abd making this a favourite story or me favourite author!_

_Currently I'm enjoying the great weather in La Jolla - at least when I don't have to work... but the SfN meeting actually is fun and it's thrilling to attend such a huge conference as a little PhD student..._

_Anyway, somehow I'm also having some ideas here, so I actually wouldn't mind staying here for longer than friday - esp. to avoid the jetlag when being back to europe..._

_Love to all of you!_

_Eve_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 11: Dreams 1.0**

_One week later_

"So I opened the door in Sookie's living room, and guess where I found myself? In our kitchen!" Lorelai explained to Rory clutching the hand of her soon to be husband. Her daughter just shook her head.

"Sookie's living on the other end of the town! Why do you have these weird dreams?"

"Wait, the dream goes on. I went outside our house, through kneedeep snow and there was another door…"

"You opened it?"

"Of course."

"You shouldn't open doors of which you don't know where they lead to", Luke chimend in while hoping the doctor would return soon so the two women would finish this stupid conversation.

"Well, so I opened the door", Lorelai ignored him.

"And suddenly I'm in Philadelphia and Jess was giving me a burger and saying Hello to bump."

"Jess was in your dream?"

"Yes. What does that mean?"

Rory sent her a mean grin.

"You know I could interpret this very easily like the dream you had when I was in Washington."

Then she frowned.

"Ew. I just realized how disgusting that would be!"

"Ha! I knew you were my daughter. Sometimes even your mouth is faster than your brain."

The door opened and Luke sighed.

"Finally. I've never been that happy to see a doctor…"

The man looked at him a little bewildered but then turned to Lorelai.

"Miss Gilmore. How's the arm?"

"Well, it itches a little and Luke took away all the pencils I could use to scratch…"

Rory grinned at that thinking of the advice Luke had given her when she broke her wrist.

"The itching is normal… We can take the cast off soon. Your test results also were fine. What do you think about a little photo session with the baby?"


	13. Dreams 2

**Chapter 12: Dreams 2.0**

Rory tiredly moved her hand to grab the phone next to her bed only to be greeted by a slightly hysterical voice.

"_I'__ve been having this dream again!__"_

"Mom?"

"_No, I'__m Luke!__"_

"Hi Luke. You sound funny…"

"_Girl I need you to work with me here!"_

Sitting up in the bed Rory focused on her mother.

"Shoot."

"_So, I'__ve been having this dream again!__"_

"Hugh Hefner on the trampolin?"

"_No, the other dream!"_

"The doors in Sookies living room? Paul Anka? You being eaten by a turtle… you know you have to be a little more specific 'cause you really have weird dreams!"

"_No, it'__s the dream where I woke up from at least 30 alarm clocks and walk down into the kitchen where Luke is making breakfast__…"_

"Was he naked this time?" her daughter cut her off still half asleep.

"_I can have him naked when I'__m awake, why should I dream of it?__"_

"Way to much information here, mom! And last time you didn't know how he would look like…"

"_Anyhow, he was cooking for me and making decaf, but this time I didn'__t look for the real thing although I knew he hid it under the sink. I just watched him make me coffee__…"_

"Naked?" Rory asked falling back to her pillow again. Her mother's late night calls were a lot easier to handle when she'd been 17.

"_What is it with you? Everytime I tell you Luke is making me breakfast, dream or real life you ask me if he was naked!__"_ her mother teased.

"Sorry… go ahead…"

"_So, I eventually drank the decaf and ate an apple. Then he kissed me and talked to my stomach."_

"I can't analize that. You're going to marry him and already carry his twins."

"_I just wanted to know why I'__m having this dream again?__"_ Lorelai said watching her diner-man sleep next to her.

"Well… maybe your subconsciousness is happy with everything and just wanted to remind you that it knew before you."

"_My subconsciousness knew that years before me?"_

"Asks the woman whose mouth has a nose and sometimes isn't talking to her brain…"

"_You sound a little grumpy over there, Kiddo…"_

"You woke me in the middle of the night just to remind me that you have a love life and I don't…" Rory definitly thought that she had the right to be grumpy.

"_Logan still in London?"_

"And we keep missing each other… Last time I called him I spent half an hour talking to his dumb secretary only to hear 'Hi Ace, sorry but I have to go. Bye.' What happened to hour-long 'I miss you' calls?"

"_I'__m sorry, kid__…"_

"Well I'm too. What is this with me and men? To my taste in men, may it improve!" the younger Gilmore growled looking at the empty space next to her.

"_I have to be sorry. I shouldn'__t call you in the middle of the night__…__ it__'__s just__…__I can__'__t stop looking at the photos the doctor gave us today__…__ I__'__m so excited about everything__…"_

"So am I. It's really great, mom. I think, I'm just tired… Can I call you tomorrow, no, today, at a more not so middle in the night-y hour?"

"_Of course… sleep well, Gerti."_

"Same for you, Heidi!"

When her mother had hung up Rory looked at her cell-phone. In London people were already up for a couple of hours and working. After a bit of thinking she finally dialed a number.

"Have you given _The Fountainhead_ another try?"

"You know its O dark thirty and people are trying to sleep, don't you, Ror…", a familiar voice answered.


	14. Go Meredith

**Chapter 13: Go, Meredith!**

_Some days later_

"I don't understand Derek!" Lorelai exclaimed, sitting next to her daughter on their couch.

"Neither do I. I'll always like Meredith better!" Rory stated and threw some of her popcorn at the TV.

"Why does there always have to be a wife, or some sort of ex-girlfriend or hidden children? Do they really think their audience is thrilled when the most favourite couple breaks up because of some phi-beta-bimbo-love-her-since-we-went-to-university-together?" Lorelai joined her daughter in throwing popcorn at Addison Montgomery-Shepperd.

"At least I know now why you were running out of popcorn when I arrived", an amused male voice came from the kitchen door.

"Since you're going to be my favourite nephew once I married your uncle I will ignore this statement."

"I'll be your only nephew", Jess answered handing the two women the bowl with popcorn he had been voluntiered to make and sat down next to Rory.

"And you're only here because you want to see Taylor's reaction when we drop the bomb." Lorelai threw another fistfull of popcorn at the screen and fished some M&Ms out of a bowl on the table.

"Please, if you had a videocamera you would record his reaction in the town meeting", another male voice from behind startled them.

Grabbing a slice of Lorelai's quesadilla Luke watched for some seconds what was on tv.

"Haven't you seen this episode for at least five times now?" he asked taking a bite. Lorelai raised an eyebrow.

"I still hope he's changing his mind. Do you know what you're eating there?"

He took another bite, this time more thoughtful.

"Hmm. I taste cheese, ham, ketchup and something I can't identify…"

"Luke…"

Taking another bite he just looked at her.

"Please, I'm hungry… we had a rush the whole day, Lane's not feeling well, and I didn't have time to eat. I know, you always say you cannot cook, but your quesadilla's quite good…What is this sweet I can taste?"

"Cranberry", Lorelai said, looking at her man unbelievingly.

Rory and Jess both made a face at the thought of this combination.

Luke just looked at the half eaten slice, then shrugged his shoulders and took another bite.

"It really only sounds disgusting."

Lorelai sat up on the couch and made an earnest face.

"Luke, do you have to tell me something?" she then grinned. He grinned back.

"Yep. We have to go, or we will be late for town meeting."

Today he was actually looking forward to it …


	15. You are late

**Chapter 14: You are late**

"You are late", Taylor automatically said when the door opened while he was in the middle of discussing an important issue with the people of Stars Hollow.

"Yeah, I know. This must mean I'm pregnant", Lorelai exclaimed and caused Taylor as well as Luke to frown.

"Very subtle, Lorelai", the diner-man hissed.

"You have used this stupid remark before. All of you are late", was all that Taylor wanted to say while the whole room started to chuckle.

"Oh my God! Does this mean I'm pregnant, too?" now the slightly panicked voice of Rory could be heard, the room now bursting with laughter.

"So must be Jess and Luke! Oh my God, Luke ate what I cooked!" Lorelai exclaimed. The two men rolled their eyes.

"Lorelai, please sit down, and we'll forget that you were late…" Taylor begged.

"I already told you that I'm pregnant. You don't have to repeat it all the time!" she grinned back.

"What?" Taylor as usual didn't get it, while Babette suddenly swatted the arm of Miss Patty.

"Oh my god!"

"She's pregnant!"

"Morrey! She's pregnant!"

"Cool."

"Gipsy, she's pregnant!"

"I know she's pregnant, I'm not deaf!"

Jess slightly elbowed Rory.

" I think that's the world record for using the word 'Pregnant' in one minute."

"Can I offer my services as a midwife?" Kirk asked into the crowd being ignored as usual.

Through the noise all the townies made suddenly an even louder voice could be heard.

"I will kill you, Taylor!"

Storming towards the older man Luke pointed at some rather familiar charts.

"I can't believe you're doing this again!"

"Well, as I told you the last time, both you and Lorelai are very important for this town. The co-mingling of you can only set the stage for disaster. It has already twice. We can't always decide anew if we want to be a Luke or a Lorelai, when…"

"This is ridiculous! And if you start with Fay Wellington and Art Brush and their candy-flower co-mingling again, then your death will be rather quick, but very violent!" Luke threatened the town selectman.

"Well, the history say's that it will happen again… so what are we going to do when you break up again? We again have to decide who we like better, Kirk can't decide and…" Taylor kept talking and pointing at his charts, where Luke's area of the town was printed in blue and Lorelai's in pink.

"You know what, take the protocol from last time, add the couple of middlefingers I promised you at the end and we don't have to go through this ridiculous only-Taylor-can-understand-thing again! Just read it."

"You promised the last time you would leave town", Taylor reminded him. Luke growled.

"This time I promise you there won't be any other break ups 'cause we're going to get married! Not that this is any of your business. Again."

"Now he's the one being subtle", Lorelai whispered into her daughter's ear who watched the whole scene with a big grin on her face.

"Luke… if you let me explain…"

"This is something I missed. Luke and Taylor together always means fun", Jess added from the other side.

"Oh my God! Did Luke just really…" Rory began shoked.

"Tear the blue-and-pink-chart into pieces? Yep", Lorelai stated dryly.

"Taylor looks devastated!" Rory exclaimed feeling pity for the selectman.

"Oh my… now he took the other one…"

"Taylor's chasing him. Didn't know, he was so fast…"

"Well, my man's faster! Go, Luke!"

"Oh, now he hit Taylor with the chart. When did they get this touchy?" Jess wanted to know.

"Since Taylor played his Muzak too loud. Luke threw a frying pan at him. Through the window between the shops!" Lorelai informed her soon-to-be-nephew.

"He threw a frying pan at Taylor? Without me there?" both Jess and Rory exclaimed.

"He even warned him. You better duck, Taylor, because I'm going to throw this frying pan at your head", Lorelai said in her deep Luke-voice.

"Oh my god, Taylor just threw his hammer at Luke!"

"He catched it anyway… I wonder, if he…"

"Throws it back? Yep…"


	16. Thank you Daddy

**Chapter 15: Thank you, Daddy**

_The next day_

They were leaning on the car, outside the big building, Lorelai clutching her decaf to go, Rory waiting for her to get ready to knock. Or ring the bell. Or get away from the car.

"Mom…"  
"I'm not ready yet."

"We're sitting here for ten minutes now. You just have to knock and tell Grandpa that you want him to walk you down the aisle…"

"What if he says no?"

"He won't say no, mom."

"I don't want to meet her."

"You don't have to."

"How do you know?"

At that Rory sighed and pulled her cell phone out oof her pocket, dialing a number.

"What are you doing now?" Lorelai wanted to know being waved off by her daughter.

"Hi, Grandpa! Would you mind coming outside? Mom wants to ask you something."

Turning to her mother she told her that Richard was coming.

Some seconds later the front door opened with Richard joining his daughter and granddaughter leaning on the Jeep.

"Don't you want to come inside, girls?"

"Is Emily home?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes."

"Then I'll stay outside."

Richard sighed but couldn't help to feel a little sympathy for his daughter. This time Emily had gone too far.

"So… Rory told me you wanted to ask me something… The baby is fine?"

"Actually it's the babies… Luke and I, we're going to have twins."

"So your feeling was right."

"Yes it was…"

Richard smiled.

"Wonderful. Oh, I can't wait until they're born… Do you know the gender already?" he asked enthusiastically causing Lorelai to look at him confused.

"Ah, no, Dad… not yet. Maybe I'll even pull a Jackson and wait… Dad…"

"Yes, Lorelai?"

She took a deep breath.

"Luke and I are going to get married. It's going to be next Friday in, well, Stars Hollow, and I wondered if you maybe… well… Dad, would you walk me down the aisle? Please?" she burst out watching him looking at her seriously.

Then he put on a soft smile.

"I would love to, Lorelai."

He wasn't prepared for her hugging him but then closed his arms around her too.

"Thank you, Daddy!"

When he heard her call him that he thought his breathing would stop. She hadn't called him Daddy for a very long time…

"I'd really love to…" he repeated, letting her step out of his embrace, her eyes a little watery.

"Can I call you next week to arrange all? It's nothing big, just Luke and me, Rory, the town members, oh, and Luke's refusing to wear a tux, so nothing too fancy."

"Works for me. My tux is a bit… well, lets say that I grew out of it. Lorelai, about…"

"If she wants to, she can come. If she's trying to ruin it I will kill her and she never will even know what her grandchildren look like", his daughter cut him off in a very serious tone. Richard looked at her. She had said she wouldn't make the first step. Yet this was some kind of peace offering for her mother.

"This is more than she could have expected", he amitted and gathered his daughter in a hug once again.

"You really don't want to come in?"

This time Rory thought it was time to intervene before her mother cracked.

"We have a lot of planning to do, Grandpa."

"Of course you have. Say hello to Luke for me, will you?"

"I'll call you on Monday, Dad. You can help with tasting the ton of cakes Sookie will prepare…"

"That sounds like fun, Lorelai."

"And like a massive overdose of sugar…"

"I will be there if you need me", he smiled again and then turned back to his house.


	17. Demands

**Chapter 16: Demands**

When he went back into the house he directly ran into his wife.

"Was this a car driving off, Richard?" Emily wanted to know.

"Yes", he answered and got himself a furious look.

"Will you stop this one-word-answeres with me, Richard Gilmore? Who was in this car and what did he or she want?" she demanded to know.

Richard sighed. She never asked. She always demanded.

"Lorelai and Rory were here."

"Why didn't you invite them in?"

"I did. But because of a very obvious reason Lorelai refused."

"Aw, she'll get over it. I only want the best for her, and since she is incapable of judging what is right and what is wrong, I had to step in! I had to act!"

"Emily, stop it right now. Lorelai is an adult woman, for Pete's sake! And because of you she is afraid to come into this house and to tell both of her parents that her wedding will be next Friday. She's too afraid that you will hurt her again that she had to ask me in the driveway if I'd walk her down the aisle!"

"I see. So you're the favourite parent once more", Emily snapped.

"I really don't understand you. Our only daughter has found the love of her life, is pregnant with twins, and although you DID hurt her she even said you could come to the wedding. She's reaching out to you even though you don't deserve it!"

"I don't approve this marriage, so why would I attend it?" she asked, face still hard. He straightened his form.

"Well, I will be going. And let me warn you: If you do anything to ruin this, I myself will throw you out of my house and file for the quickest divorce I can get!" he threatened her turning towards his study and slamming the door. Emily just watched the door in shock, then turned around.

"Annabelle, if this coffee isn't ready in the next minute you will be fired!"


	18. You don't have a clue, either!

**Chapter 17: You don****'t have a clue, either!**

_One week later __–__ Friday_

"You promised you would explain it to me if I gave it one more try", Jess Mariano said, sittig down next to the maid of honor who was watching her mother and her brandnew husband waltzing the dancefloor.

"Have I told you how shocked I was when I found out that Luke could waltz?" Rory said ignoring his request.

"You will find out very soon that I can't, when we have to make fools of ourselfs doing this dance stuff."

"Who said that the maid of honor and the best man have to dance together? Must have been a very evil mind", she grinned remembering her lack of talent in that field.

"Okay, so now that we have found out we both don't like dancing, can we come back to this crazy woman with her forty page monologues? Explain it to me!"

"Give it one more try, Jess."

"You always say that. Sometimes I think you don't have the slightest cue either. Oh boy!"

"What?"

"You don't HAVE a clue either!" he exclaimed.

"Well… I thought if you'd understand it you could explain it to me", she admitted, standing up from her chair.

"I think it's our turn…"

"Where're you going?" a loud voice behind her asked. Logan Huntzberger put his glass down on the table and reached out for his girlfriend. He knew he'd had too much. He also knew she didn't like it when he was drunk and wallowing in selfpity. What he'd been doing since his father had shipped him of to London, to learn his business…

At least that would explain why she was backing away from him.

"It's time for our dance."

Seeing Jess appearing next to her Logan snorted.

"With him?"

"I'm the maid of honor, he's the best man. It's tradition", she explained as if she was speaking to a grumpy child.

"Screw tradition…"

She just stared at him, her look telling him he had said something wrong. Then she turned around.

"Come on, Jess. Let's make fools of ourselves."

He grabbed her wrist making her face him again.

"Don't go, Rory?" he said pleadingly getting himself an angry look.

"You're drunk", she stated, freeing her arm.

"Ace!"

"Logan, sit!" she snapped. Stunned he followed her order and sat down. Turning around again she grabbed Jess' hand and started towards the dancefloor.

"You just totally sounded…"

"Like my grandmother, I know. And I'm scared like hell!"


	19. Traditions

**Chapter 18: Traditions**

"So… what does that mean…?" she asked him.

"That we fullfilled another maid of honor – best man tradition", he responded dryly, kissing her. She giggled at that and lay her head onto his shoulder.

"I just cheated on my boyfriend. I've never cheated on my boyfriend before!"

"You going to panic now?"

She remained silent for a while, letting him come to the conclusion she had fallen asleep.

"I won't panic. I mean… It's you."

He didn't understand.

"What does me being me have to do with…?"

She kissed him, shutting him up.

"You always liked me for what I was. The bookworm with the crazy mother, the coffee addiction and a stomach a horse would envy…"

"I still don't understand how you can eat that much and keep that slim waist. And I'm a bookworm myself, so I just had to look for someone smart."

They remained silent for a while.

"I don't want to screw up again, Ror", he said quietly into the night.

"You won't."

"How do you know?"

"I won't let you this time."


	20. Not complaining

**Chapter 19: The only one who isn****'t complaining**

_Oktober 8th_

The house was filled with loud music although the first guests weren't supposed to arrive anytime soon. Lorelai leaned back on her couch, sighing as the weight of her 6 months pregnant body was off her feet for a little while.

"Boy, just look at us", Lane exclaimed, looking at the other three women sitting in the Danes' livingroom caressing their pregnant bellies.

"I still think I should kill Jackson for not getting the vasectomy. And for not telling me that he didn't get one…", Sookie mumbled. She had found out one week ago and her husband had been abandoned on the couch since then.

"Kicking them out of the house doesn't work either… T.J. keeps coming back. Though I have to say I'm glad he's more responsible than Jess' father…", Liz added.

"At least you're about to pop anytime soon, Liz. I still have 4 more months to go and I already feel like a beached whale", Lane complained turning to Lorelai.

"Why are you the only one who isn't complaining about being pregnant? You must feel pretty much the same like me …"

Lorelai just stroked over her stomach feeling her daughter kick her son for invading her space in there. Smoothening the fabric of her 'Bun in the oven' shirt she looked at the best friend of Rory.

"'Cause that is my dream. Me, Luke and the twins. Why should I complain about something I'm so glad about?"

"Do you have to say something that sweet in front of a hormonal woman?" Sookie sobbed, dragging Liz and Lane along with her.

Most of the men in the kitchen meanwhile were glad to be occupied far away from their hormonal women.

"She makes me fetch ice-cream in the middle of the night. And I mean really weird flavours…", Zack complained getting a supportive pat on the soulder from T.J..

"At least you don't get kicked out of your own house everytime she's in a mood…", he whailed.

"At least you're allowed to sleep in your own bed", Jackson said at the same time.

Luke who was putting chicken wings into the oven just shook his head.

"You lied to her, Belleville, what did you expect her to do?"

"Aw please. As if Lorelai's not giving you a hard time."

"No screaming, no kicking me out of our bed or our house, she warns me when she has mood swings and so far there have been no major food cravings. The apple thing I can handle." And by the way: He could see when she was tired or when her feet hurt. And he was glad when he could comfort her and his babies.

The other men just stared at him unbelievingly.

"You are one lucky man, Luke Danes."

He just smiled.

As if he didn't know that himself.


	21. Happy Birthday

**Chapter 20: Happy Birthday****…**

"Open it! Open it! Open it!" Lorelai squealed as her daughter opened her present very slowly. Rory grinned, then did her mother the favor and ripped the paper off.

"You are crazy!" she screamed, looking at the Compact Oxford English Dictionary. The one she had owned had gone AWOL during her moving out of her grandparents poolhouse into the main house. She still wasn't sure if her Grandmother… no, she wouldn't do something like that.

"It still has the word 'jiggy' inside. Though I don't know when to use it… or why."

"It's way too expensive!"

"I know, that's what we told the guy at the store!" Luke grinned putting his arm around his wife. Rory just hugged both of them, then continued to unpack a little present that came with the Dictionary. It contained a magnifying glass. In the meantime Sookie brought in the cake and set it down on the coffee table with everybody singing 'Happy Birthday'.

Looking at the candles on top of the cake Rory had to smile.

"At least I don't get to hack into my own face this time!" she grinned before blowing out the candles and getting herself the very first piece.

"And you didn't give me the time for my speech!" Lorelai complained leaning onto Luke who was by now stroking her belly.

"Yeah. You would have looked very serious and then, after a very well placed pause you would have started to tell a joke."

"Please, when have I done something like that?" her mother asked.

"Everytime you threw her a party", Luke chimed in laughing and in the same moment could feel one of the babies kick his hand.

"Hey, son, you should be on my side! There's way too less testosterone around here…"

Everybody ignored the chiming of the doorbell.

"Well, he's helping mommy as long as he's living inside her."

The doorbell chimed again.

"Maybe the kick was ment to support me?"

"By giving me hematomes from the inside…"

The doorbell chimed the third time.

"May I?" Lorelai wispered causing her husband to smile.

"Sure…"

"Who the hell is ringing the bell? It's a party! Get your ass in here!" she exclaimed over the music.

"It is still asses, Lorelai", her father grinned, dragging his wife along with him.

Rory looked at her mother before turning towards her grandparents. Seeing that she was still smiling she got up to greet them.

While her daughter was hugging her grandparents Lorelai freed herself out of Luke's embrace and headed for the kitchen.

"My mother's here", was all she said, startling Sookie out of her concentration. The chickenwings however did survive the jump the chef of the Dragonfly Inn made.

"Is that good or bad?" she asked studying the face of her best friend.

"I don't know. She didn't show up at her only daughters wedding. I didn't expect her to come to her granddaughters birthday. Now I know once again where her priorities lie."

"Isn't that a little bit unfair of you, Lorelai?"

"I'm the hormonal pregnant woman here. I have the right to be unfair", Lorelai snapped being sorry in the same moment.

"I didn't mean that."

"I know. Probably it's not quite the right time to tell you…"

"Tell me what?"

"Yeah, tell her what?" Rory asked, joining them in the kitchen and hugging her mother once more for the present she and Luke got her.

"We're out of ice", Sookie admitted.

"How could we be out of ice? We had a ton of ice! Lars the polar bear would have felt at home!" Rory exclaimed. Sookie just shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know how it happened, I just know it happened. Somehow we'll have to deal with it…"

"It's okay, Sookie. I'll go and get some."

"You're the birthday girl, Rory. You shouldn't go…"

"I'm pretty much the only one who isn't pregnant around here, and Paris doesn't count 'cause she is discussing the pros and cons of dog leashes with Kirk."

Taking her car keys she was just about to leave the house as the front door opened, revealing Jess who was carrying two blue plastic bags filled with ice.

"Oh my god! You're a vision!"

"Hey, if I know one thing 'bout birthdays then that you can't have enough ice", he grinned.

She just jumpend into his arms and kissed him as Emily made her way from the living room into the kitchen. Staring at the kissing couple for a while she just couldn't help to remember how a very similar scene had turned out.

"Luke! Sookie needs your help!" Lorelai yelled almost running her mother over on her way back into the living room. Emily watched Rory and Jess walking into the kitchen followed by Luke and then turned to her daughter.

"What are you going to do about this?"

Lorelai sighed.

"About what, mother?"

"Isn't that this guy who just ran away? How can you allow your daughter to interact with him again?"

"My daughter is 22. I'm not asked anymore. And he has changed."

"Please. She has potential! She's been with one of the Huntzbergers! He'll only…"

"I have to go to the bathroom", Lorelai announced and turned away from her mother.

"You can't just run away from me!" Emily exclaimed, following her.

"I can. I'm the one whose bladder is used as a punching bag. I get to go to the bathroom when I want to, not when you decide that the conversation is over. And now stop following me", Lorelai snapped.

"Oh no, we will talk about this."

"Fine…" Ignoring her mother Lorelai headed for the stairs.

Luke grabbed the ellbow of his nephew with his free hand, having been dragged into cooking by Sookie. Indicating Emily following Lorelai with a determined expression on her face he growled: "Follow them. If she upsets Lorelai, kill her!"


	22. What you are

**Chapter 21: What you are****…**

Her mother was good at cornering people. So Lorelai wasn't surprised she didn't get the chance to enter her bathroom but instead was shoved into her bedroom.

"She left Logan Huntzberger for this guy? What the hell is wrong with you?" Emily started as soon as she was through the door.

"What is wrong with ME? Rory chose him."

"And she obviously has the same bad taste in men that you have! You should have made sure she wasn't seeing him again."

Lorelai sat down heavily on her bed and sighed.

"Well, since she has the same taste in men, why would I forbid her to see him?" she asked sacastically. Emily placed herself in front of her daughter and stared at her.

"This is one big joke for you, isn't it? You would do everything to estrange yourself from the family, even if this means your daughter is making the biggest mistake in her life. When will you finally start to take responsibility?"

"I think I did that for the first time when I decided to move out of your house. And with every minute you're talking to me I think this was the best decision I ever made."

"Lorelai! You don't know…"

"Mother, stop it. I am tired of fighting with you. I don't have the strengh right now. Rory has chosen him. Period. You don't have the right to say anything about it. She loves him, he loves her. He changed so much, and you don't even know him. You don't like him? Your problem!"

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore. You will not talk to me in this tone!"

"You forget one thing, mother. This is MY house. I can talk to you in every way I want to. I am not a scared 16 year old girl anymore who got yelled at by her mother in the hospital because she didn't phone her, who by the way was at some fancy party, but an ambulance when she went into labor. I am not anymore the person who let herself blackmail into being with people she didn't want to depend on because she wanted her kid to go to a private school and have the best possibilities for her future. You and me, we just don't work. Maybe I have to thank you for that. Because you showed me how I didn't want to end. You are a frustrated, old woman with nothing that really fulfills her. And now I would be really grateful if you left. Just go." Lorelai turned away from her mother. She had often dreamed of saying something like that to Emily. It didn't feel as good as she had imagined. A small tear ran down her face.

Behind her she could hear her mother take a sharp breath and knew it wouldn't be over that easy. Why couldn't she for once just let it go…?

"How dare you…!" Emily started.

"I think she made pretty clear she wants you to leave. I suggest you do that, 'cause I have the strict order of her husband to kill you if you upset her", a calm voice came from the door, Jess easily holding the glare Emily sent him. He would never be as strong, tall or as broadchested as his uncle was, but his way leaning casually on the doorframe, hands in the pockets of his jeans, an unconcerned look on his face made Emily consider how dangerous he could be.

She finally turned away from her daughter and left the room without another word.

He watched for another second how his aunt wiped away the tears on her cheeks.

"I'll get Luke?" he asked and got a nod as answer.


	23. Saying the fword

_Hi everybody! Yes, I'm still alive, and now with a brand-new PhD (actually, it's a .nat., but who actuallc cares?) in my pocket. Working hours are still ungodly, inspiration also left me, esp. since House is nothing more than crap lately, and while NCIS is repeated up and down all channels, JAG seems to have been thrown away..._

_Anyway, I tried to continue this fic here, and send greetings to all the people out there who like it!_

_People, you rock!_

_All the best,_

_Eve**  
**_

**Chapter 22: Saying the f-word**

She was kneeling next to Lane, feeling how one of her twins kicked as she noticed her Grandmother coming down the stairs followed by Jess. She frowned confused when he disappeared into the kitchen. Emily made her way to Richard demanding loudly that she wanted to leave. When she saw Luke running up the stairs she got up from her place.

"What did you do this time?" Her furious voice caused her Grandmother to spin around.

"What the hell did you do this time!" Rory repeated before Emily had even the chance to respond.

"If you have to know: I talked to your mother about your… whatever it is you have with this guy…" she answered looking at Jess who had once more his cold glare concentrated on her.

"Why would my relationship with Jess be any of your fucking business?" Wow… it felt good saying the f-word to Emily Gilmore.

"Well, since your mother doesn't really know what is right for you, this is where I have to step in…"

"My mother knew what was best for me since the day she decided to move out of your house!"

"How can you dare…"

"I invited you because I wanted to celebrate my birthday with my family. How can you dare to come in MY house, and ruin everything in the first 10 minutes you're here? How can you dare to upset a pregnant woman who needs her strengh for other things than fighting her crazy mother?"

"Rory…" Richard tried to stop his Granddaughter while he took hold of Emily who obviously prepared herself for a shouting match with the younger Gilmore.

"Young lady, watch your tongue!" Emily snapped.

"No! 22 years my mother fought for me, now it's time that I fight for her. She's the one who told me Logan wouldn't be good for me and she was right. She knew my being together with Dean after his divorce would end bad. She knew Jess would break my heart back then, but I just didn't want to listen. This time I did listen. 'Cause she know's best. He changed. She likes him. I love him. None of your business. Take it or leave it. End of discussion."

"This is your mother speaking. She's making you fight her battle because of her oh so bad childhood. Let me tell you one thing: There was no day when she wasn't treated like the queen of Sabaa!" Emily yelled.

"She didn't tell me anything about her childhood, but I get a pretty good picture when I see you interacting with her."

"If she'd only got rid of you when there still was time! Everything would be good, she would be Christoper's wife with a respectable life…" She was so infuriated she didn't know anymore what she was saying. Rory just looked at her stunned and hurt, the others in the room just were shocked.

"Leave my house", a deep calm voice from the stairs said.

Emily just looked at Luke who had a firm grip on the banister.

"Leave my house or I swear to God I will throw you out!" he repeated.

For the first time in her life Emily Gilmore did the right thing: Not going deeper in the fight. She just turned around and left.

"She did not mean that, Rory. We love you!" Richard assured his still shocked Granddaughter before following his wife. He had to find out why she was still acting like this and not accepting what she just couldn't change…


	24. Why?

**Chapter 23: Why**

He almost had to run to reach her before she could get to the car. Grabbing the keys he made sure that she couldn't open the door.

"I want to leave, Richard. Open this door."

"I won't until you tell me what your little show in there meant", he calmly stated staring her down. She sighed.

"I will tell you when I know that myself… I just couldn't…"

"We're going to loose all of them if you keep doing that. Not only Lorelai. We'll lose Rory. And Sid and Nancy."

"Whom?"

"Sid and Nancy. Lorelai once dreamed of having Luke's twins, long before they got together, and that's what she named them in her dream…", he explained getting a weird look of his wife.

When she started to sob he was the one looking confused.

"Why am I always trying to destroy what she has…?"


End file.
